We live on the 20th floor of a Manhattan apartment building. The terrace is very sunny and Michele grows blueberries, tomatoes, mint, basil, etc. A few years after we moved in, we noticed a couple in the apartment building right across the street from us who also were growing tomatoes and other vegetables.
One night, we noticed the couple was out on their terrace having dinner with some guests. Next day on Facebook, a friend posted pictures of her and her husband having dinner on that very terrace. We contacted our friend and asked if she was visiting the people across the street the night before and she said, yes she was. She offered to introduce us to them and we became friends.
Valerie and Mitch are passionate about vegetable gardening tomatoes and grow many different varieties of tomatoes, plus eggplants, peppers, carrots and so on. Every year they invite us to a tomato tasting dinner.
We started with baba ganoush with peppers from the garden for dipping.
Then we had Caprese salad with two kinds of sliced tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.
A delicious gazpacho followed.
Last but not least was fresh fettuccine with carrot top pesto and cherry tomatoes. If you have never tried it, carrot top pesto, with a delicate parsley flavor, is a nice alternative to the usual basil variety.
It was a lovely evening as we sat on the terrace finishing the last of our rose wine.
Maison Belle Claire Rosé 2016 Cotes de Provence made from 35% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 30% Cinsault. The soil is clay and limestone. The grapes are destemmed and there is temperature controlled pneumatic pressing without maceration.The wine has a light salmon color very typical of the Rose from the Cotes de Provence. It has intense red fruit with hints of strawberries and raspberries, good acidity and a very pleasing finish and aftertaste $18.
Charles Scicolone on Wine 